The History of Ancient Egypt

By: Bob Brier, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Bob Brier

Length: 24 hrs and 25 mins

Publisher's summary

Ancient Egyptian civilization is so grand our minds sometimes have difficulty adjusting to it. It lasted 3,000 years, longer than any other on the planet. Its Great Pyramid of Cheops was the tallest building in the world until well into the 19th century and remains the only Ancient Wonder still standing. And it was the most technologically advanced of the ancient civilizations, with the medical knowledge that made Egyptian physicians the most famous in the world.

Yet even after deciphering its hieroglyphs, and marveling at its scarabs, mummies, obelisks, and sphinxes, Egyptian civilization remains one of history's most mysterious, as "other" as it is extraordinary. This chronological survey presents the complete history of ancient Egypt's three great Kingdoms: the Old Kingdom, when the pyramids were built and Egypt became a nation under the supreme rule of the pharaoh and the rules of Egyptian art were established; the Middle Kingdom, when Egypt was a nation fighting to restore its greatness; and the New Kingdom, when all the names we know today-Hatshepsut, Tutankhamen, Ramses the Great, Cleopatra, and others-first appeared. Professor Brier's 48 lectures glisten with the kind of vivid anecdotes and human glimpses that make this ancient world breathe again.

"The fun of history is in the details," he notes. "Knowing that Ramses the Great was crippled by arthritis for the last decade of his long life makes us more sympathetic to the boastful monarch who fathered more than 100 children. If we understand what it was like to be a miner sent to the turquoise mines in the Sinai mountains in the summer, we will feel a kinship with our long-dead counterparts."

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.

©1999 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)1999 The Great Courses

Excellent History of Ancient Egypt

I read a lot of history and consider myself knowledgeable about ancient Egypt, but I learned a great many things from this course. I'm a fan of Great Courses and this is simply the best I have found so far. The lecturer is wonderful. This course is suitable for those who know nothing about the topic and those who know a great deal. I cannot recommend this course highly enough.

Excellent series over a gigantic topic.

I'm not specifically interested in egyptology but I wanted a good meaty course full of interesting history and this did not disappoint. Highly recommended no matter your background. If you enjoy well presented history, you will enjoy this!

The Beginning of My Journey Down An Ancient Road

Here is where my love for egyptology truly began. Bob Brier is the father figure of my love for ancient Egypt. This journey through 3000 yards of history has led me to learn hieroglyphs, spend countless hours in museums across the world and, eventually, it will lead me to the source - Egypt itself.

I never thought I would know enough about it's history to immediately identify the origins of so many Egyptian artifacts at places like the Louvre or the British Museum. In a sense, this is where I discovered my inner curator of Egyptian history. If you want to add an incredible amount of context to your journey down this ancient road, look no further.

An amazing journey through Egyptian history

This series of lectures sparked a new found love for ancient Egypt in me. I would recommend this book to anyone who has the time to listen. The lectures are interesting and the instructor does a great job at breaking down Egyptian history so that it is palatable to the reader. I can't capture properly in words how much I enjoyed the experience of exploring ancient Egypt. I hope that anyone reading this decides to take this memorable journey through the ages. Good luck and enjoy :)

Great Overview of Egypt!

Entertaining and informative! I found myself relistening to chapters just to fully absorb (and to enjoy the rich stories again). would recommend to anyone who has any interest in human history, fantastic stories, mythology, and intrigue.

My all time favorite! (Plus is accompanied by PDF)

I am a self proclaimed addict when it comes to the great courses, and while generally I do not write reviews, this course with it’s lecturer is worth praising. I love the detail that professor Brier puts into his notes. Yet the classes are not bogged down by dates, but instead focus on the “flesh and blood” of ancient Egypt. As with most great things, it hold a wide variety of interests about its subject (involving Egyptian magic and medical procedures to achiological sites and cultural sensibilities of the Egyptian people. I have listened to this class quite a few times, and from each listen I extract another piece of information I missed before it.
On a side note, I recently discovered there are PDF files found in an audible member’s library that is a companion to each of the great courses and other similar audiobooks.
Hope you all will enjoy Egypt’s history as much as I have!

Fantastic

Excellent presentation, engaging presenter. So glad I listened to this course. It was utterly enjoyable.

Fantastic narration and storytelling

Bob Brier's enthusiasm and love for Egypt is really infectious. Some of the Great Courses I have listened to so far can feel like they are dragging on after a while, but the history here is so rich and interesting that you want to keep listening.

Definitely Recommend

A historians goal should be to make the dead come alive and not put the living to sleep. Bob Brier does just that while delivering the content in a clear and well organized fashion. His enthusiasm for the subject is contagious and will leave you wanting to learn more even after the course is over.

Great history of Egypt

Very well done. I'm so happy to have finished it. The best part was the way the narrator put his excitement for Egypt into the performance.